Electric railway.



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PATENTD JAN. 13, 1903.

E. M. ASHLEY. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED PEB. Z6, 1898;

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F. M. ASHLEY.. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLIUATION FILED PEB. ze, 189s. No MODEL.

du m o f a o f No. 718,068. PATENTED JAN. 13, `1903.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

` APPLICATION FILED PEB. 26. 1898. i

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NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. ASHLEY, OF BROOKLYN, YORK, ASSIGN OR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. I718,068, dated January 13, 1903.

.. Application filed February 26, 1898. Serial No. 671.788. Y (No model.)

To all wtont it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. ASHLEY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric railways of the class in which the main feeding-conductors are used in combination with sec'- ondary working conductors, the former being well insulated and properly disposed of along the roadway, while the latter are bare and adapted to be connected with the main conductors by devices actuated by each vehicle as it passes along. V

The invention consists in certain devices and details of construction, which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying draWings,\Figure l is a diagrammatical plan of my improved system, illustrating more particularly the circuits employed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the road-bed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the switch-box.

The rails upon which the vehicles run are represented by A A. These form no part of the circuit. The main feeding-conductors B B are thoroughly insulated and buried in the roadway, preferably between the rails A A. The object in so locating them is that they may be inclosed within a solid bed of asphaltum C, which is placed throughout the road between the rails A A for the purpose of insulating all of the conductors and devices used in the system from the earth. These main wires enter switch-boxes D, also buried in the asphaltum and located at snitable intervals,which will hereinafter be specifled. Upon the surface of the asphaltum, which,as shown, is also the surface of the roadway, are located three lines ot' sectional rails 0r service-conductors, respectively lettered p p p, dac., n n n, dto., and s s s, &c. The length of these sections is about equal'to one-third of that of a car, and the breaks in them are extraordinarily wide for the purpose of greater insulation, and the collecting device `is inserted in this, as shown.

carried by the cars is sufficiently long to bridge the break between the sections. For each set of sections p n s one switch-box D is provided. This is buried in the roadway so that its cover-plate dis flush with the surface. Directly beneath the cover-'plate d is a second cover d', to the center and under side of which is attached a solenoid e, having a verticallymovable core e', which is guided by a prismatic socket e2. To the core is attached a cross-arm e3, having its extremities insulated from-each other and respectively connected with exible conductors e4 and c5, which are branches from the respective mains B `and B. 'In the path of movement of the cross-arm e3 are two contactsprings fand f', which are the terminals of wires l and 2, leading to andconnect-ed with the sectional rails p and fn. The solenoid is in a circuit 3, which connects at one end with the sectional rail s and at the other directly with the negative main at the point g. A fuse g The circuit from the section s to the main wire B is always closed; butthe circuits of wires l and 2 are both normally open and are only closed when the core of the solenoid is lifted upward into contact with thejsprings f and f. The interior of the boxislined with a layer of non-conducting material h, and a non-conducting lling h is also provided. observed that when the cover d' is removed the solenoid is carried with it, thus facilitating the cost of construction and the inspection and repair of the parts. The three branch wires l, 2, and 3 after `leaving the switch-box pass through a longitudinal stringpiece t', of non-conducting material, to the respective rail-sections.

'The equipment of the car consists of motor M, controller N, and a triple trolley, represented, by three sets of wheelsTQT', and T2. The wheels of trolley T are electrically'connected and sufliciently separated to y, just bridge the break between the sectionsp, upon which it travels. Trolley T2 is similarly constructed with reference to sections s; but it carries two additional wheels, which extend the trolley in both directions.

The operation of the system is as follows:

It will be Assuming the car to be directly over one set of sectionsp s n, the current will lead from the main B to the branch 1, contact-springf, sectional rail p, trolley T, controller N, motor M, trolley T', sectional rail fn, branch 2, contact-springf', and the return-wire B. At the same time a shunt-circuit will be established, leading from the positive trolley-wire at the point 5 to the sectional rail s, branch 3, including the solenoid, to the main returnwire B'. By means of this shunt-circuit it will be seen that both sides of the main circuit to the motor will be held closed. When the trolley crosses a break between the sectional rails, the middle portion of the trolley T2 makes contact with its section s first, thereby establishing a circuit leading from the switch-box of the section which the car is leaving to and through the solenoid in the next succeeding switch-box. The solenoid therefore closes both sides of the main circuit to the motor through the forward switch-box just before the trolleys T and T' make contact with their respective sectional rails. When the trolley has passed a section entirely, the circuit through its solenoid is broken and the core falling by its own weight breaks both sides of the main circuit, thus effectually insulating the section of the rails from the main circuit.

The advantages of this system are derived .from the fact ofthe double breakin the branch circuits leading to the sectional rails and the consequent thorough insulation of all exposed parts.

Other minor advantages are also derived from this system, such as the prevention of sparking in theswitch-boxes, by reason of the circuit in the box ahead being closed before that in the box behind is broken. The asphaltum road-bed is also a good feature.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In an electric-railway system, the combination with twoline conductors, of two parallel sectional working conductors, connections between said line and working conductors, and electromagnetic switches-in each of said connections, the circuits through the actuating-coils of said switches being completed in shunt to the car-motors successively by the passing car, said shunt relationship being maintained while the motors are receiving current through the switches controlled by the coils in said circuits.

2. In an electric-railway system, the combination of two continuous main insulated supply-conductors,two sections of sectional working conductors which are respectively connected therewith by branch conductors, and a single electromagnetic switching device controlling the circuit of both branches, the actuating-coil of said switching device being maintained in shunt to the car-motors so long as the sections of the sectional conductors controlled by said switch form parts of the motor-circuit.

Frispet',

3. In an electric-railway system, the combination of twocoutinuous main insulated supply-conductors, two sectional conductors, the sections of the latter being arranged parallel in pairs, branch conductors from the members of each pair to the respective main conductors, a single switch arranged to open or close the circuit of both branches, and an electromagnet for operating said switch, the coil of which is connected in shunt to the carmotors, the shunt relationship of said electromagnet-actuating coil being maintained after the switch controlled by said coil has been closed.

4. In an electric-railway system, the combination of two continuous main insulated supply-conductors, two sectional uninsulated conductors, the sections of the latter being arranged side by side in pairs, branch conductors from the members of each pair to the respective main conductors, asingle solenoid and core arranged to control the circuit of both branches, a third sectional uninsulated conductor, a branch wire from the same to one of the main conductors and including the solenoid, and electrical connections between said third sectional conductor and the circuit on the car, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric railway, a switch-box provided with a cover having attached to it the spool of a solenoid, in combination with the core of the solenoid carrying contact-points, two main conductors passing through the box and two iiexible branches therefrom leading to IOO the respective contacts on the core, substane tially as described.

6. In an electric-railway system, the combination'with two line conductors, of two sectional working conductors, connections between said liue and working conductors normally open, switching devices included in said connections, and a third sectional working conductor whose sections are adapted to be placed in shunt with the line conductors through said switching devices, upon which the circuits through the line and working conductors are closed.

7. In an electric-railway system, the combination with the line conductors, of sectional working conductors, connections between the sections of the latter and the former, electromagnetic switches in said connections and contacts carried by the car adapt- IIC tgo

line conductors, and means whereby the operation of said switching means is controlled through said third working conductor.

9. In an electric-railway system, the combination with two line conductors, of two sectional working conductors normally disconnected therefrom, contact devices therefor carried by a car and adapted to bridge the spaces between the sections, a third sectional working conductor whosc sections are connected to a line conductor, a third contact device carried by the car connected to a line conductor, and adapted to bridge the space between the sections of the third working conductor, and means for connecting the first two working conductors with the line when the latter space is bridged by the third contact device.

10. In an electric-railway system, the combination with two line conductors, of two sectional working conductors normally disconnected therefrom, a third sectional working conductor, connections between each section of the latter and a line conductor, means carried by a car for completing a circuit thro ugh cach section, across the line conductors, and means whereby the completion of this shuntcircuit causes the said two sectional working conductors to be connected with the line conductors.

11. In an electric-railway system, the combination with line conductors and sectional working conductors, of switching devices between said workin g and line conductors, magnet-coils in shunt t0 the car-motors for actuating said switching devices and means for energizing each coil before its adjacent coil is denergized.

I2. A switch for electric railways, which comprises two contacts connected with two main or feeder conductors, two contacts connected with sectional service-conductors, and an actuating-coil for said switch, said coil being permanently connected to one of said main conductors and in shunt to the motor-circuit.

13. In a switching device for an electric railway, the combination with a coil, of a core therefor provided with contacts insulated from each other, line conductors "normally connected to said contacts by flexible leads, and contact-terminals of positive and negative motor-conductors adapted to be engaged by said core-contacts when the coil is energized.

14. In an electric railway, the combination .with positive and negative main-conductors,

of service-conductor sections, switches, each of which is adapted to connect a plurality of the latter with the former, pick-up conductorsections, and a permanent connection between each of the latter and the negative main, each such including a coil for actuating one of said switches.

l5. An electric railway comprising two main or feeder conductors, two service-conductors, a switch for connecting the feeder-conductors with the service-conductors, and a coil for actuating the switch, said coil being permanently connected to a main conductor and in shunt to the motor-circuit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of November, 1897.

FRANK M. ASHLEY.

Witnesses:

WM. A. ROSENBAUM, HARRY BAILEY. 

